NATIONAL HOT RODS DYNES DENIED AS HAIRD SCORES

Ipswich

when Dynes went for a big sweep around his outside to pass the flag as the runner-up, but a penalty for contact put him back to fourth in the final result.

Andy Lee got off the line first to lead the second heat away but lost out to Danny Hunn at turn three, albeit at the expense of a black cross for the new leader.

Godfrey was hunting him down all the way though and did get in position to apply plenty of pressure as they left half distance behind. As the laps dwindled, Dynes was able to catch up and apply pressure of his own, forcing Godfrey to defend rather than attack and allowing the leader to pull clear once more.

Godfrey immediately turned his pole start for the final into the lead, but when Danny Hunn went spinning and involved several other cars, the yellows flew once more. Dynes had the lead by the time the cars stopped and, following some initial confusion about when exactly he’d hit the front, was allowed to keep it for the restart.

With the race back underway, Dynes was able to maintain a small buffer over Godfrey and Carl Waller-barrett. But the men to watch here were Haird and Maxwell, both men carving through. Maxwell was always that little bit behind Haird and didn’t seem to be getting luck with the backmarkers either. He was still within range when it all got very tight at the front, Dynes had his own backmarker problems, which allowed Godfrey, Waller-barrett and Haird to close right up.

Godfrey was forced to defend once more though, letting Dynes slip away a little, while Haird went outside CW-B to snatch third through turn two. Maxwell was just preparing to do the same when another, untimely, caution flag flew for Kym Weaver, whose battered car had become stranded in the middle of the track.

The hiatus spoiled Maxwell’s charge (although he soon relegated Waller-barrett once they were back under the green flag) but did put Haird right in position to get ahead of Godfrey and attack Dynes’ lead with a vengeance. He didn’t quite make it past despite going sideby-side out of the last bend, but Dynes’s subsequent penalty gave Haird the win in any case, also promoting Maxwell to second spot.